Foundations For Life Training

Suzanne Clothier on Calming the Fearful Dog

2012-01-17T05:11:00.000-08:00

Teach Your Dog to Wait at the Gate

2011-12-01T06:57:00.000-08:00

The video is provide by http://smartdoguniversity.com

Teach Your Dog to Not Run Away

2011-11-30T14:03:00.001-08:00

Video is provided by DoggieZen.com.

Teaching a Retrieve

2011-11-24T04:23:00.001-08:00

How to make your own training platform Michele Pouliot style!

2011-11-20T08:14:00.000-08:00

What is up with Reinforcement?

2011-11-04T05:29:00.000-07:00

2011-10-31T06:38:00.000-07:00

Artist Unknown

Police Dogs Can Tell Identical Twins Apart By Scent

2011-10-02T15:10:00.000-07:00

What’s the News: You might think that identical twins have an advantage when it comes to crime—with the same DNA, who could tell them apart? But new research with a squad of scent-trained Czech police dogs reveals that even identical twins have their own individual smells, even if they live in the same house and eat the same food.

How the Heck:

Scent line-ups for identifying suspects are regularly used in the Czech Republic, Russia, Denmark, the Netherlands, and several other European countries. Trained dogs are provided with a scent from the scene of a crime and then sniff out the matching scent from sweat samples taken from suspects.
The researchers took sweat samples from two sets of identical twins and two sets of fraternal twins (whose status they verified with DNA testing), as well as plenty of samples from unrelated children. All the samples were taken in the same room and with the same scientist present, so background odors wold cancel out.
Then, 10 trained German Shepherds, police dogs used solely for identifying suspects by scent, were put through a total of 120 scent line-ups by police officers who had no knowledge of which pads were which.
In every single trial, the dogs correctly identified the individuals they were seeking, even when an individual’s identical twin was also in the line-up.

Read the rest here:
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2011/06/17/police-dogs-can-tell-identical-twins-apart-by-scent/

Interesting Study on Early Separation From Litter

2011-08-30T03:42:00.000-07:00

http://press.psprings.co.uk/VR/august/vr4967.pdf

"The results of the present study indicate that early separation of
a puppy from the litter is an experience that may increase the ani-
mal’s chances of showing potentially problematic behaviours as an
adult. Moreover, this effect can be further potentiated by the puppy’s
very first environment. It is well known that experience, genetics
and environment jointly influence most aspects of behaviour, exert-
ing interactive effects (Gottesman and Hanson 2005). In dogs, as in
human beings, the socialisation period is associated with the develop-
ment of social and environmental behaviour patterns, including those
associated with learning," the study reads.

2011-08-18T07:27:00.001-07:00

Who says you can not train a cat?

2011-08-09T20:14:00.000-07:00

Recall Tips

2011-06-07T05:05:00.000-07:00

Calming Signals

2011-06-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

http://boogiebt.wordpress.com

Teaching Children To Read Dogs

2011-06-01T05:20:00.000-07:00

I like this one, too.

Tale Of Two Tongues

2011-05-27T13:43:00.000-07:00

Tongues are important, biologists say. Two recent studies explore tongue design and function--how they are used for lapping by dogs and for nectar retrieval by hummingbirds. Margaret Rubega, of the University of Connecticut, explains how hummingbird tongues, without any muscle, grab liquid. A. W. Crompton and Catherine Musinsky, of Harvard University, and Crompton's dog Matilda, demonstrate how dogs get water in their mouths by flattening the tongue into a plate and how the liquid travels through the mouth. video, stills: Alejandro Rico-Guevara and Margaret A. Rubega/PNAS A. W. Crompton and Catherine Musinsky/Biology Letters

What not to let your dog do.

2011-04-23T05:59:00.000-07:00

Baby And Dog Fight Over Food - Watch more Funny Videos

Fla. justices throw out evidence found by drug dog

2011-04-23T05:35:00.000-07:00

By BILL KACZOR (Associated Press)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Citing a lack of state standards for
drug-sniffing dogs, the Florida Supreme Court on Thursday tossed out
evidence a canine detected against a Panhandle man.

It was one of two warrantless search and seizure cases the justices
decided Thursday. Both set new guidelines for such cases.

While the 5-1 drug dog decision will make it more difficult for
police to obtain evidence, the 5-2 ruling in the second case should
make it easier. That opinion upheld evidence that police obtained
through human surveillance in a South Florida drug case.

"Because a dog cannot be cross-examined like a police officer on the
scene whose observations often provide the basis for probable cause
to search a vehicle, the state must introduce evidence concerning the
dog's reliability," Justice Barbara Pariente wrote for the court.

Given the lack of statewide standards for single-purpose,
drug-detecting dogs, training certificates and records aren't enough,
Pariente wrote.

Prosecutors also must present other evidence including field
performance records and an explanation of each dog's training as well
as evidence concerning the experience and training of the officer
handling the dog. Further, it's the state's responsibility to prove a
dog is reliable, not the defendant's burden to show otherwise.

Chief Justice Charles Canady dissented.

"The majority demands a level of certainty that goes beyond what is
required by the governing probable cause standard," Canady wrote. He
added the dogs will need "to be virtually infallible."

The U.S. Supreme Court approved drug-sniffing dogs to check vehicles
during routine traffic stops in 2005, but their accuracy has remained an issue.

The Oregon Supreme Court also set reliability criteria in a pair of
rulings earlier this month, and a Chicago Tribune analysis of
Illinois data in January showed the dogs are wrong more often than
they are right.

Just last week, the Florida Supreme Court ruled in a separate case
that police must get a warrant before using drug-sniffing dogs at the
front door of a home.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said she would appeal that ruling to the
U.S. Supreme Court, but her office had no immediate comment on the
latest ruling.

It reversed a 1st District Court of Appeal decision that had upheld a
judge's refusal to suppress drug evidence obtained against Clayton
Harris during a 2006 traffic stop in Liberty County southwest of Tallahassee.

Sheriff's Deputy William Wheetley's dog Aldo alerted to the driver's
side door handle after Harris refused to consent to a search of his truck.

Wheetley then found more than 200 pseudoephedrine pills under the
driver's seat and 8,000 matches in eight boxes on the passenger's
side. A later search turned up muriatic acid in a toolbox.

All three items are used to make methamphetamine. Harris admitted he
was addicted to meth and "cooked" it at his home in Blountstown. He
pleaded no contest and received a two-year prison sentence, but he
reserved the right to appeal the denial of his suppression motion.

The state presented evidence Aldo had been trained to detect several
types of drugs including meth, but Pariente noted the list did not
include pseudoephedrine. Also, two months later, Wheetley again
stopped Harris for a traffic infraction and Aldo again alerted to the
door handle, but this time no illegal drugs were found.

Pariente pointed out that only Aldo's successes were noted in his
training records, not his failures, so there was no way to determine
his effectiveness.

In the surveillance case, the majority upheld Anthony Hankerson's
cocaine conviction and 10-year prison term.

The opinion by Canady reversed a 4th District Court of Appeal ruling
that evidence found on Hankerson should have been suppressed. The
appeal court cited a prior appellate court ruling that a single
suspicious event was not enough to establish probable cause for a
search without a warrant.

In Hankerson's case, a Delray Beach police officer saw him give
objects to three people in exchange for money in quick succession.
Based on that information, another Delray Beach officer stopped his
vehicle and found a bag of cocaine in one of his shoes.

The search was justified because the first officer saw three
transactions, not just one, Canady wrote.

In dissent, Pariente argued those exchanges were a single transaction
because they took place in a matter of seconds and could not justify
a search. Justice James Perry concurred with her dissent.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/21/2179138/fla-justices-throw-out-evidence.html

Treibball Foundations

2011-04-19T05:57:00.000-07:00

Casey Lomonaco from Rewarding Behaviors presents Treibball Foundations workshop. This video will not show you how to teach the behaviors but it will give you a look at a lot of them.

Using a Cue as a Reward

2011-03-24T06:08:00.000-07:00

Does Your Dog really Understand A Verbal Cue?

2011-03-22T02:48:00.000-07:00

Dogs, like many other mammals, tend to prefer using physical cues (movement, proximity, body language, hand signals, facial expression) to determine what behavior is being asked of them. Verbal cues are a human preference.

Deferent behavior Dr. Karen Overall DACVB

2011-03-15T07:41:00.000-07:00

Why doesn't the dominance model work?

2011-03-09T05:08:00.000-08:00

By Carol Whitney

Over the last two decades, the traditional model of dominance and submission has been thoroughly and effectively debunked. A seminal work is the book _Dogs_ by Raymond and Lorna Coppinger (2001). But a strong basis lies in the study of calming signals by Turid Rugaas,
since 1982 or so. Then along came Alexandra Semyonova, with a really GRITTY book, _The 100 silliest things people say about dogs_.

That book requires some salt to go with it; I don't really need to
tell anybody where to salt it. Anybody may think what they like. I
agree with most of what Semyonova writes.

Her debunking of various of the dominance myths is absolutely
heart-rending at times. The truth of her descriptions is evident to
anybody who has lived with dogs for a long time, and observes with
care, without prejudice, on DOG terms.

THAT is where, historically, we humans have failed. Our observations
have incorporated far too much projection, and we have, therefore,
failed to see DOG terms.

Humans worry about rank, status, hierarchy - we live in a society full of power-struggles. Domestic dogs, as a rule, do all they can to avoid conflict, and probably can't imagine a struggle for power, though they may covet something another dog has. However, a dog whose real needs are consistently met in a timely way, shows not the slightest evidence of caring about anything like rank, status, or hierarchy. Those are artificial, human structural creations.

I went through a period of believing one should "support the dominant dog." That lasted maybe about six months, till I realized I had no idea WHICH dog was dominant - dominance seemed to be fluid - at one time, or in one situation, one dog was dominant, and at another time, or in a different situation, a different dog was dominant.

That was before I met Turid's work. When finally I did meet it, I
breathed large sighs of relief, along with saying to myself, Oh, so
THAT'S what my dog(s) meant - when they used certain body language.
Finally I realized that the dominance model simply fails because it
doesn't match dog-terms.

To find dog-terms, we have to ask the dogs, and that's precisely what
Turid Rugaas did - observing with meticulous care, documenting with
video.

We do, though, have a VERY long history and a high percentage of
belief in the dominance model among dog-trainers and behavior
counselors. So probably, wherever we go, we can find counsel that
says, "Support the dominant dog."

Slowly, slowly, the percentage of those who are actually able to ask
the dogs is rising.

People who fear that their dogs might become the boss probably slows
human learning. A careful look shows that those of us who keep
companion dogs are neither the boss nor alpha. Our position is far
greater than that - it is that of Caretaker and Guide. OUR dogs would
not survive without our care. Very simple, really!

Carrol - if you want to, you may copy this post elsewhere. It's my
personal opinion, based on my 50-year experience with dogs, 30 0f
those with intensive self-study on behavior. During which time I made
PLENTY of mistakes, going through various sets of beliefs.

And there's plenty more besides the references I've mentioned that
support my position on this.

Tue, 8 Mar 2011 20:45:52
Carol Whitney, with Kwali (ndd, RB) and Kumbi (dd; dx 1 Sept 2006, RB)
Camellia Camelo, IFO (ndd), Havanese
http://www.coherentdog.org/dogselect.php

Clicker Training For Tricks - Mary Ray

2011-02-26T08:49:00.000-08:00

Training Cartoon

2011-01-24T07:36:00.000-08:00

The Sit Challenge

2011-01-17T08:48:00.000-08:00

Do you think your dog "knows" sit? Take the sit throw-down challenge. You can find Dr. Ian Dunbar's sit test here - http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2001/sittest.htm

Post a video response at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtY5U2K-rG0 showing how you've helped your dog to generalize "sit."

FYI - - the points don't matter. And the winner - well that's everyone who helps his/her dog generalize this behavior using positive training methods.

Be sure to stop by Lisa's channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/lisarnocn . Lisa owns that lovely doberman, Kelly.

Stop by http://www.youtube.com/user/krysova for Anita's channel. Anita owns those gorgeous German Shepherd Dogs.

And, of course, you can visit Marge Rogers channel http://www.youtube.com/user/rogersmmr for more ridgeback videos and some unique tricks.

Impluse Control

2011-01-15T14:16:00.000-08:00

Susan Garrett teaches the "It's Yer Choice" game of impulse control.

Another great heeling video

2011-01-07T10:36:00.000-08:00

It is all tricks

2011-01-06T15:13:00.001-08:00

Basics of Treibball

2011-01-04T07:35:00.000-08:00

Barrel Racing

2010-12-06T08:30:00.000-08:00

Go around taken to a new level.

By
Debbi Decker
www.cernakkennels.com
YouTube: Debbi3053

Mat as a Target

2010-12-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

Training a target follow

2010-12-03T08:21:00.000-08:00

What is Clicker Training?

2010-12-01T06:59:00.000-08:00

Emily Larlham's video called What is Clicker Training? should be watched by all clicker trainers including experienced trainers. She packs a lot of great information in 10 minutes.

Leslie McDevitt Demos CU games

2010-11-29T07:48:00.000-08:00

Leslie McDevitt has a new Puppy book coming out. I can not wait. Here is Leslie McDevitt with a pack of adult dogs demoing some Control Unleashed games.

Treibball

2010-11-28T07:43:00.000-08:00

Training 'Take' and 'Give' Objects for a Formal Service Dog Retrieve

2010-11-27T21:16:00.000-08:00

"Brick Work"

2010-11-23T02:21:00.000-08:00

This video shows a puppy just getting started with "brick work" and, at the end, an adult dog shows the end product. Rear end awareness is very helpful for heeling and straight fronts.

Mind Games for Dogs: Shell Scent Game

2010-11-18T09:05:00.000-08:00

Perch Revsitied

2010-11-17T05:14:00.000-08:00

Jean Donaldson gets conditioned emotional response while fitting Gentle Leader

2010-11-16T12:29:00.001-08:00

SHAPING POLITE WALKING with a HIGH RATE OF REINFORCEMENT

2010-11-01T10:58:00.000-07:00

LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR SHAPING POLITE WALKING:

• Establishing that both ends of the leash understand what a loose leash FEELS like. The leash snap hanging down becomes a conditioned cue for the dog that we are now walking on a loose leash.

• Learning to pay attention to the leash (J-shape and leash snap hanging down) and developing the handler's role in keeping slack in the leash during the stages of training the dog.

• Understanding the need for good mechanical skills so as to give the dog a high rate of reinforcement.

• Using a high rate of reinforcement to both teach the dog the required skill and to keep the dog having fun while learning.

• Learning to work in baby steps towards a training goal.

• Learning to handle one's leash with soft hands -- almost transparent as far as the dog is concerned. The leash is nothing but an accessory required by our culture. To that end, training loose-leash walking with 100% positive reinforcement means making the leash "invisible" in its impact on the dog.

The first three steps:
1. Set Up for Success -- clicker, leash and treat handling.
2. Standing with a Loose Leash -- do this for one full minute.
3. Slow Drift About -- do at least 25 click/treats before moving on to the next step. If you see that your dog has any difficulty, then repeat this step until your dog looks as ready for something new as Jack does in the video.

Make these three steps your warm-up to every Polite Walking training session. Revisiting these steps with a high rate of reinforcement further conditions the dog to the *feel* of a slack leash -- and the handler too!

It's important that your rate of reinforcement be very high -- click/treat continuously if the leash is continuously in the J-shape. Hold several treats in your hand so that you can get a treat to the dog quickly after the click. It's important that your treat hand remain still until after the click. These mechanical skills should be practiced without the dog in the picture until they are second nature. If you cannot hold several treats in your hand, use a food tube with lickable food to present for a quick lick as the treat. For a small dog, use a long-handled wooden spoon with something lickable on it for a quick lick as his treat.

Practice that type of treat delivery first without the dog.

By starting your Polite Walking training with the dog facing you, he has no need to pull -- and, of course, you will start this in a location that has the least number of tempting distractions! Notice how quiet the trainer is with Jack. She is quiet so that he can concentrate only on the information from the click.

PART 2:
In this part we continue to build the handler's mechanical skills. We begin to vary the rate of reinforcement for the dog -- raising it as criteria become harder, lowering it once the dog is adept at the new criterion.

Each of these steps requires more effort on the part of the dog. That means the rate of reinforcement will be lower for him. When you can see your dog eagerly performing the task without sniffing, wandering, becoming unfocused, then move on to the next step.

Whenever you start your Polite Walking training in a new location, warm-up with the steps from Part 1, then move to One Step Back, then Two Steps Back, then Three Steps Back. That will re-acquaint your dog with the shaping process for this task and get him a good rate of reinforcement that is then gradually thinned out based on his success at each step.

Be sure to stop to treat. Being able to eat a treat and keep on walking is a higher level skill. At this level, we want it to be as easy and doable for the dog as possible. Stopping to treat also means that the dog never gets enough momentum to pull ahead of you suddenly.

Step 4: One Step Back
Step 5: Two Steps Back
Step 6: Three Steps Back

Step 7: Pivot to Face Forward -- practice this pivot without your dog until it is second nature. Remember good mechanical skills -- treat with your left hand if your dog will be walking on your left. Deliver the treat to the spot where you want the dog's head to be. Be smooth, clear and consistent in your treat delivery and your dog will learn to be right there, in the pocket, for every step you take.

Step 8: Alternating Single Steps Back with Pivots -- pivots take some time to do. To keep the dog in the game, be sure to alternate Pivots with Single Steps Back. That will keep his reinforcement rate high with an "affordable" drop at each pivot.

PART 3:

Step 9: Pivot, One Step Forward .
The journey of one thousand miles begins with one step. Practice that one step forward many, many times so that the dog, right from the moment you step off, is never ahead of your body. Make your movements fast and snappy, click and get the treat right to the "sweet spot" immediately. Remember, if you can't hold treats in your hand, a food tube of canned dog food works wonders. Be sure to stop to treat!

Step 10: Human Mechanics for Connect the Dots
Connect the Dots is a game from Karen Pryor that starts of with a high rate of reinforcement and lots and lots of "first steps" of walking. The human half of the team needs to have clear, consistent, mechanical skills. Again, practice those without the dog until you have them down pat!

The cones are targets for the human. As you approach a cone, click while you are in motion and stop to treat -- right at the spot where you want the dog's head to be. Be sure to step off quickly -- just before your dog finishes eating his treat. Give your "Let's Go!" cue to let him know it's action time again!

Step 11: Connect the Dots with a High Rate of Reinforcement

Step 12: Connect the Dots -- Start to Decrease the Rate of Reinforcement
Once you are successful with a row of targets (dots), remove 2 or 3 to create bigger spaces. This will cause a drop in the dog's rate of reinforcement. He should be ready for this now!

Due to our desire to finish videoing Jack, we went a bit too far with him in this session. You can see his attention start to wander, his nose drop to the ground, he looks around.

Continue making bigger spaces adding your removed cones to the end of the line. Work in short sessions leaving the dog wanting more.

Step 13: Ready for Real Walking
When you are ready to go "cone-less", check to see that your dog can eat and walk at the same time. Keep up a nice rate of reinforcement when doing training walks and start to lessen the rate by going for more and more steps before you click then treat. Remember to keep your mechanical skills in place -- leash in the right hand held at your navel, treats in your left hand delivered to the right spot.

CREDITS:
Lily, the Poodle Puppy
Jack, the German Shepherd Dog
Trainer: Lynn Martin, KPA CTP
Producer and Director: Helix Fairweather, KPA CTP
Special Thanks To: Sue Ailsby, Shirley Chong, Karen Pryor

2010-10-28T05:33:00.000-07:00

Delivering your reward where you want the dog to be. - BK Grice

2010-10-17T04:59:00.001-07:00

Do not allow a dog to practice that which you don't want perfected . - Susan Ferry

2010-10-06T04:08:00.000-07:00

"Work hard on getting your dog to WANT to do it. Then the behavior itself becomes reinforcing. " Deborah Jones, Ph.D.

Mind Games for Dogs: Shell Scent Game

2010-09-25T08:02:00.000-07:00

Treibball

2010-09-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

Anubis shows his skills

2010-09-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

This is why the basenji definitely is NOT the dog for everyone:

2010-08-24T12:03:00.001-07:00

“Owners expect vets to know about behavior, but most vet schools don’t even teach it.” ~ Dr. Nicholas Dodman

More rear end awareness

2010-08-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

2010-08-23T12:54:00.000-07:00

"The training danger is adhering to the path instead of the goal; the danger is giving up on a dog who's quite capable, only needs a different approach. Eclecticism and humility are worth more than political correctness and moral purity." -- Geoff Stern

2010-08-23T12:47:00.000-07:00

“Training is a mechanical skill.” -- Bob Bailey

What's a FIGHT? How bad is 'Bad'? Ranking conflicts

2010-08-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

What's a FIGHT? how bad is 'Bad'? ranking conflicts

Lower-level conflicts -

Grade 1 - snarks are short-lived snaps with a snarl and
light tooth-contact, or an air-snap with no teeth/growl, etc.

Grade 2 - spats are very-short fights with lots of barks, snarls,
growls, many air-snaps or light mouthing -- but leave NO bruises
under the haircoat, NO punctures or scratches from teeth or claws,
etc - noises and threats and swearing - LOTS of swearing.
they generally last 5 to 20-secs at most, but seem longer.

After-effects:
24 to 48-hours later, bruising, swelling, heat or inflammation are
detectable - if in doubt, see a vet for a careful exam.

Resisting handling, flinching, guarding body-parts are all signs of
pain and possible injury. tiny punctures can become big-problems,
depending on where they are; a puncture between toes, close to
a joint, near an eye, etc, are potentially very serious [lose digit,
bone infects, eye-injury or abscess, corneal ulcer, etc].
dogs who practice snarks and move-on to spat, need help -
to prevent a fight and to prevent bad-feeling.

Fights -

Grade 3 - low-intensity fights include growls AND
maybe - punctures, but definitely scratches and bruises -
the combatant[s] 'mean it' - things will not improve spontaneously -
blood was shed, or pain was inflicted.

Spats + snarks are THREATS - fights leave HURTs.

Low-intensity fights will escalate - 'get bigger + worse' -
if nothing is done to not only prevent a fight,
but Change the feelings that start the fights.

Grade 4 - moderate-intensity = multiple punctures,
some torn skin; rips are bites with pulling.

Grade 5 - serious intensity = add tears with bruising
and small crush-areas to punctures;

Grade 6 - severe-intensity = pieces of skin or muscle
missing, crush-injuries / necrotic tissue; one to 3 drains;

Grade 7 - mauling = multiple crush-injuries, multiple
serious-trauma, 2 or more drains, skin-grafts;

Grade 8 - the only step left is 'kill' - one or the other,
or both, die of injuries or blood-loss.
the worse the fights... the worse the prognosis for
improvement.

Generally, the quieter the fight, the worse
the emotions and the damage are - the dogs
do not waste energy swearing, but aim to
inflict maximum injury.
This is a very-bad sign, and poor prognosis.

terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF

Get Those Puppies OUT

2010-08-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

New pups, at the low end need, to meet about 100 new people before it is 16 weeks old.

Here is a list to get you started.

An infant held by an adult

An infant in a car seat

A toddler in a car seat

An toddler held by an adult

Girls, between 2 & 6

Boys, between 2 & 6

A small group of kids between 2 & 6 (no more than 5)

Calm girls, 7 or older

Boisterous girls, 7 or older

Calm boys, 7 or older

Boisterous boys, 7 or older

A small group of kids 7 or older (no more than 5)

Calm girls, 12 or older

Boisterous girls, 12 or older

Calm boys, 12 or older

Boisterous boys, 12 or older

A small group of kids 12 or older (no more than 5)

A small group of kids playing with a ball

A man with a beard or mustache

You in a hat

You in sunglasses

You with a bike

You on rollerblades

You on a skateboard

You in a wheelchair

You with an exaggerated gait

You using crutches or a cane

A friendly stranger in a hat

A friendly stranger in sunglasses

A person with a bike

A person on rollerblades

A person on a skateboard

A person in a wheelchair

A person with an exaggerated gait

A person using crutches or a cane

A woman and a man whose skin color is radically different from yours

A person in uniform

You carrying packages

A person driving a truck

A person carrying packages

You wearing a flowing skirt or dress or wrapped in a sheet

A person wearing a flowing skirt or dress

A stroller

A balloon

An umbrella

A camera (obscuring a person's face)

Musical instruments

An automatic door

A mirror

A bus (loading/unloading passengers)

An 18-wheeler (you can often find these parked behind grocery stores)

A grocery cart moving past you and your dog

Walking between two parked cars

A vet's office (enter, give a treat & leave)

A cat with attitude

An older, well-socialized dog (meeting off leash in a neutral, safe environment)

A pet store

Lift the dog up onto a table-like surface

"Brush" the dog's gums with your thumb

Gently separate & hold each toe

Flapping movement, e.g., a flag or shaking out a towel

A sudden soft noise like a magazine dropping

A sudden scary noise, such as a pan dropping (use a helper so the dog doesn't associate this with you)

A bath

A lawn mower

A sprinkler

2010-08-10T09:24:00.000-07:00

"Work where the dog can be successful." - Deborah Jones, Ph.D.

Barking

2010-06-08T07:59:00.000-07:00

Puppy Raising

2010-06-08T07:54:00.000-07:00

Stays

2010-06-08T07:50:00.001-07:00

Handling Shy Dogs

2010-06-08T07:37:00.000-07:00

Default Leave it

2010-06-08T07:26:00.001-07:00

Pivot - another take on shaping it

2010-06-08T07:13:00.000-07:00

Go to Mat

2010-06-08T07:11:00.001-07:00

Dog trained to sniff out prostate cancer

2010-06-04T13:21:00.000-07:00

It amazes me what dogs can learn to do.

"A Belgian Malinois dog spent a year in training with two researchers and emerged with the ability to sniff out prostate cancer in human urine samples. The dog's accuracy rate? About 95%."

http://www.examiner.com/x-1028-Pet-News-Examiner~y2010m6d1-Dog-trained-to-sniff-out-prostate-cancer

Insect detection dogs

2010-06-04T07:08:00.000-07:00

Early insect detection by utilizing dogs is an efficient and economical method for the detection of pests which may cause further damage to crops. The goal is to reduce pesticide use on crops by detecting the pests at a stage where it is more manageable. Early detection is vital in halting the spread of crop damaging pests. Currently, the dogs can detect vine mealybug in vineyards.

http://www.iddogs.com/

Shaping a Pivot

2010-06-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

What is a reactive dog?

2010-05-31T05:05:00.000-07:00

"A reactive dog will rush toward something or someone that he is uncertain about, barking, lunging, growling, and making a big display. People sometimes perceive reactive behavior as aggression, but a reactive dog is not rushing in to do damage; he is attempting to assess the threat level of a given situation. ... Reactive dogs are anxious, and their response is intense because they are freaking out." Leslie McDevitt, Control Unleashed

Youth Only Schutzhund Camp

2010-05-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.tfloydsyouthcamp.com/

The first annual youth schutzhund camp is just for the next generation of schutzhund handlers and helpers under 18 years old. We are planning an exciting schedule including a cook-out with a bon-fire and somores, a fun trial, a trip to a water park, dog/handler relay races, and a music jam session. An SV judge will visit with us to talk about what judges are looking for on the trial field, and a Veterinarian will talk with us about K-9 health care. The participants will learn about training, trialing, and caring for the schutzhund dog, and make lasting friendships with other youth in the sport.

Dates: Thursday, July 8 – Sunday, July 11, 2010

Pet Poison Hotline 800-213-6680

2010-05-26T05:21:00.000-07:00

What can kill your dog?

Tomato plants and the small green tomatoes, Large amounts of onion or garlic, Acetaminophen (Tylenol), Ibuprofen (Advil), Rodenticides, Antifreeze, Easter lilies, Xylitol sugar-free sweetener, Chocolate, Sago palm, Grapes, raisins, and currants.

Pet Poison Hotline: http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com

If your pet has ingested something potentially harmful, please call 800-213-6680 immediately! Time is a critical factor with potential poisonings. Please be aware that due to the urgency of medical recommendations concerning poisonings and the fact that email is not the optimal venue for providing those recommendations, it is advised that you contact Pet Poison Helpline directly by phone. This telephone-based consultation service is available 24/7.

Pet Poison Helpline
A service of SafetyCall International
8009 34th Avenue South, Suite 875
Bloomington, MN 55425
USA

Lab Puppy Raising Videos

2010-05-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

Duckhill Kennels Puppy Headstart Program (I think they are missing all the in house stuff a puppy needs to see, but the other stuff is very impressive.)

The most critical learning period of a dog’s life is the first six months. During this period a puppy is the most open to learning. This is when he learns the fastest, when he most readily masters new tasks and when he adapts most readily to new environments. Our puppy headstart program is designed and structured to maximize the opportunity provided by this age period.

Our puppy headstart program focuses on 4 basic facets of the learning process:

1. Development of the learning process — Puppies learn and are thoroughly programmed to offer behaviors in order to "buy" rewards, such as treats or play or retrieving.
2. Development of self control — Puppies learn to inhibit and control reactive responses, and to sit quietly in scenarios of great temptation.
3. Programming of the core behavioral skills.
— Puppies are programmed on
(1) Calmness and steadiness in a high distraction environment
(2) Retrieving and delivery to hand
(3) Sniff and sit
(4) Hunting on rubble piles
(5) Whistle stops and directional casts
4. Development of desensitization and adaptation skills when faced with new and strange environments — puppies learn to experience a number of new and strange environments in order to build their adaptation and coping skills in the face of new and strange scenarios. We give puppies a great deal of exposure and desensitization in the following areas:
(1) Gunfire
(2) Cannon fire
(3) Combat noises
(4) Heavy equipment noise and vibration
(5) Emergency vehicles
(6) Multiple obstacles and terrains
(7) Unsteady footing on a variety of surfaces and heights
(8) boats
(9) Dark confined spaces
(10) Groups and crowds of people
(11) Urban areas
(12) Vehicle traffic

From weaning puppies are required to sit to "buy" all meals with a sit. Puppies are well socialized and exposed to a variety of stimuli through trips to neighboring towns and with nature hikes throughout our 200 acre establishment. Basic obedience is taught through operant conditioning with positive reinforcement. Puppies are pre-programmed to bark on cue. Puppies are exposed and accustomed to a wide spectrum of noises including: gunfire, cannon fire, combat noises, sirens, fireworks and heavy machinery. Puppies are taught to master a "confidence course" composed of: Aluminum boat, Swinging bridge, tight tunnels, stairs, ladders, concrete rubble piles. Puppies are pre-programmed to offer a "sit alert" in the presence of a target odor.

All of these activities are accomplished before the puppies are 16 weeks of age.

Keeping a Crate Bound Dog Busy

2010-03-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

Some one recently asked me to post what I did to keep Blue stimulated and happy in her cast for 12 to 16 weeks.

Blue, who will be 7 in October, was about 2 years old and very active. She blew a hock at agility practice.

I had to come up with a plan.

I looked at every idea that was sent to me and thought about what
I could train on a lead, in a crate, on a mat or in an exercise
pen. I picked something to work on for a couple of minutes every hour that I was at home and awake. And every potty break is a training session.

Mainly I used Sue Ailsby's training levels ( www.dragonflyllama.com then click on dogs and training levels) and Shirley's keepers (shirleychong.com) to guide me in building a training plan.

Feed all meals from Kong's, paper towel cores and brown paper bags. Keep the raw beef rib, necks and knuckle bones and macho/bully sticks. Move the dog from the crate, to an expen, to a tether. Have crates all over the house.

The Training Plan

-- Karen Overall's Relaxation Protocol (in a down instead of a sit.)
-- pick up (as in let me pick you up)
-- nose touch to target / object (naming objects or just pointing) with duration
-- nose touch to end stick with duration
-- nose touch to my hand with duration
-- paw touch to target / object (naming objects or just pointing) with duration
-- paw touch to stick with duration
-- paw touch to my hand with duration
-- follow target stick
-- follow my hand
-- Husbandry - accept any type of handling
-- LLW to potty and back
-- Leash manners
–- Leash on / Leach off
-- Shirley Chong's say please
-- Shirley Chong's conditioned relaxer
-- Shirley Chong's induced sleep
-- Shirley Chong's Retrieve
-- Shirley Chong's Recall redux
-- find Mine - Scent Discrimination
–- find this on - Scent Discrimination using essential oils
-- settle (lie down flat on side)
-- Take (shape a hold using wood, plastic, leather, metal)
-- Give (shape a give using wood, plastic, leather, metal)
-- Sit
-- Sit stay
-- Sit for exam
-- Down
-- Down stay
-- Down for handling
-- Zen
-- Go sniff
-- Sit at door
-- getting teeth brushed
-- Yes (same as click)
-- Thumb up (same as click)
-- collar grab
-- ruff grab
-- urinate on cue on a short lead on any surface
-- defecate on cue on a short lead on any surface
-- Use a specific place in the yard as an outdoor bathroom
-- quiet (no bark) on cue
-- Speak
-- whisper
-- Ready (look at me)
-- pronto (classically conditioned recall cue- come now and let me touch you)
-- eat (clean you bowl immediately or it will be removed.)
-- drink (take a couple of lick from what I offer you)
-- mat go and stay until called or release
-- crate enter and stay in crate until told to leave with door open
-- Sits to leave crate. Walks out and sits again. (WALKS out instead of bounding and spinning)
-- Look at cat then automatically look at me. (without barking)
-- Stand
-- Stand stay
-- Stand for exam
-- classically condition love of a head halter
-- classically condition love of a life jacket
-- classically condition love of a back pack
-- classically condition love of an elizabethan collar
-- classically condition love of a muzzle
-- classically condition love of nail grinder
-- classically condition attention to me when I sing twinkle twinkle little star
-- classically condition attention to me when I wear a black wrist band on my left wrist
-- auto watch me
-- Find it (treat dropped or hidden near the dog to teach her to sniff for it)
-- Name (look at me when I say your name)
-- Dogs (look at me when I say your dogs)
-- Ring Name (look at me when I say your ring name)
-- Auto Check In
-- Easy (slow down)
-- Wait
-- Build a motivating toy
-- Build a desire to tug (laying down and sitting?)
-- One meal a day spread in a scent box
-- scenting (from training levels)
-- Ring bell with nose
-- Ring bell with paw
-- Roll over
-- Lay on back with feet in air
-- Rub back on floor
-- Shake hands
-- other hand
-- Paw wack
-- Other paw wack
-- Both paw wack
-- High Five
-- other high five
-- Wave
-- other wave
-- give a back paw
-- give other back paw
-- Cover your eyes
-- stretch - captured when she leave crate
-- bow
-- U-turn (Turn 180 back towards me and touch my hand)
-- here (come up behind me and touch what ever hand is presented)
-- safe (sit behind me. it is okay to look out between my legs)
-- kiss
-- smile - captured (mouth slightly open, ears back, eyes soft)
-- sing (howl)
-- look (the way I point)
-- Right (dog's)
-- Left (dog's)
-- Shaping games
-- Bang (play dead)
-- Cross paws - The dog is laying down, with one paw crossed over the other
-- Chin (rest you chin in my hands so I can clean your tear ducts)
-- Pull on rope
-- Find/bring car keys
-- Push something with the nose
-- Sneeze
-- Stop / freeze on cue
-- stationary left heel
-- stationary right heel
-- Back Up
-- Teach names for toys (Get or touch a toy by name)
-- Put Away The Toys
-- sit go wild sit
-- Be a wolf Bare teeth
-- Cock your head to one side
-- Growl
-- Nod your head
-- Rub muzzle on floor
-- Shake your head
-- Wet - Shake yourself
-- Wag tail
-- Yawn
-- Look cute (ears up)
-- Balance treat on the nose
-- Toss up and catch a treat from nose

Hot Dog Retrieve

2010-03-10T11:30:00.000-08:00

Using a Clicker to Train a Retrieve

2010-03-10T11:22:00.000-08:00

2010-03-09T21:12:00.000-08:00

Leashes break, collars break but good training lasts forever.

M. Shirley Chong

2010-03-04T06:58:00.000-08:00

Dog training is a mechanical skill based on timing and recognizing behavior. - Drayton Michaels

Dog Bites

2010-03-03T20:14:00.000-08:00

http://btoellner.typepad.com/kcdogblog/2010/01/2009-dog-bite-fatalities-final-report.html

This is worth reading.

2010-03-03T06:24:00.001-08:00

"Punishment can suppress aggressive and fearful behavior when used effectively, but it may not change the underlying cause of the behavior."

Position Statement from The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior

Zeva Skates

2010-02-24T07:29:00.000-08:00

2010-02-03T07:01:00.000-08:00

"If the dog doesn't do it, then it's because the dog hasn't learned the skill yet." - Morten Egtvad

TAGing Children

2010-01-22T05:38:00.000-08:00

TAGing

First you pick a tag point.

You say, "The tag point is lips closed while chewing."

You don't say, "Don't chew with your mouth open." or "Is your mouth open with food in your mouth?"

When the lips close you click, or say good or yes or nice, and pass over a token or MM or skittle or something.

Other than that, you ignor the open mouth with the food hanging out.

SHAPING

You don't tell the kid what you are tagging. You wait for it.

My kidlet, age 7, was slow to get out of bed in the morning. I've shaped her to put her feet on the foot as soon as I wake her up.

First I used a stop watch for a week to see how long it was taking her to get out of bed after my first request. I never gave a second one because I thought that she was just waiting for my second one. Some times she got up before I asked -if she had before school care and was in a hurry to go and play with her friends. The longest it took was six minutes.

For a week, I jack-potted her with three tokens if she got up without me asking and I gave her one token if it took her less that four minutes after my request. She got nothing if it took her more than four minutes.

For the next week, I jack-potted her with three tokens if she was up without my asking or if she put her feet on the floor as soon as I asked her to get up. I gave her one if she was out of bed in less than one minute.

For the next week, I gave her one token if she was up without my asking or if she put her feet on the floor as soon as I asked her to get up. She was not rewarded for anything else.

Now I randomly reward with tokens or candy when she gets right up or gets up before I ask.

RANDOM REWARDS

Everyday I find at least three things to reward her for as does my spouse. Sometimes the kid gets tokens. Sometimes she gets quarters which are to her a higher reward as she uses them to buy fancy pencils out of the machine at school. Sometimes she gets candy - a rare treat at our house.

She used her tokens to buy prizes off of the prize table in our basement. I buy things that I know she will like (and want to earn) as I see them on sell. She can use use her tokens to go to the zoo, open swim, a movie, or open gym at the gymnastic school or to Chuckie Cheese. If she has earn enough in a week she can take a friend on the outing.

I find that I reward much more that I punish anymore.

Tag points don't include the words "You" or "I."
Correct: "Tag point is 'lips closed while chewing'."
Incorrect: "Tag point is 'close your lips when you chew'."

A tag point includes only one instruction:
Correct: "Lips closed while chewing."
Incorrect: "Lips closed with food inside mouth while chewing."

A tag point should ideally be five words or fewer (which will help prevent multiple tag points in a single tag).
Correct: "Lips closed while chewing."
Incorrect: "Lips are closed when eating at the table."

2010-01-13T18:08:00.001-08:00

“Anything a dog can learn on his own is more effective and better understood than what humans can force on the dog.” – Randy Hare

Clicker Reaction Game

2009-12-31T08:31:00.000-08:00

How fast are your reactions?

Click here-----> Sheep Reaction Game to test your clicking skills.

Millie's Crockpot Chicken for dogs

2009-12-29T07:52:00.000-08:00

From M. Shirley Chong

1 chicken, bones and all
about a pound of various veggies (anything but onions)
water
(optional: 1 teaspoon sage)

Place the chicken in the crockpot and cover with water. If you want
it to smell appetising to humans as it cooks, add the sage. Cook on
high for 4-8 hours and on low for 8-12 hours. In the last half hour
of cooking, put in the vegetables.

When the chicken is done, the bones will be easily crumbled with the
fingers. Use a potato masher or a blender to puree the whole mass.

You can also use an electronic pressure cooker, set on high pressure for 90 minutes .

Laura's Dogs

2009-12-22T08:50:00.001-08:00

Photo by Robin Tinay Sallie

Science of Vaccine Damage

2009-12-16T13:12:00.001-08:00

written by Catherine O' Driscoll
www.canine-health-concern.org.uk
(posted with permission)

A team at Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine conducted several studies (1,2) to determine if vaccines can cause changes in the immune system of dogs that might lead to life-threatening immune-mediated diseases. They obviously conducted this research because concern already existed. It was sponsored by the Haywood Foundation which itself was looking for evidence that such changes in the human immune system might also be vaccine induced. It found the evidence.

The vaccinated, but not the non-vaccinated, dogs in the Purdue studies developed autoantibodies to many of their own biochemicals, including fibronectin, laminin, DNA, albumin, cytochrome C, cardiolipin and collagen.

This means that the vaccinated dogs -- ”but not the non-vaccinated dogs”-- were attacking their own fibronectin, which is involved in tissue repair, cell multiplication and growth, and differentiation between tissues and organs in a living organism.

The vaccinated Purdue dogs also developed autoantibodies to laminin, which is involved in many cellular activities including the adhesion, spreading, differentiation, proliferation and movement of cells. Vaccines thus appear to be capable of removing the natural intelligence of cells.

Autoantibodies to cardiolipin are frequently found in patients with the serious disease systemic lupus erythematosus and also in individuals with other autoimmune diseases. The presence of elevated anti-cardiolipin antibodies is significantly associated with clots within the heart or blood vessels, in poor blood clotting, haemorrhage, bleeding into the skin, foetal loss and neurological conditions.

The Purdue studies also found that vaccinated dogs were developing autoantibodies to their own collagen. About one quarter of all the protein in the body is collagen. Collagen provides structure to our bodies, protecting and supporting the softer tissues and connecting them with the skeleton. It is no wonder that Canine Health Concern's 1997 study of 4,000 dogs showed a high number of dogs developing mobility problems shortly after they were vaccinated (noted in my 1997 book, What Vets Don't Tell You About Vaccines).

Perhaps most worryingly, the Purdue studies found that the vaccinated dogs had developed autoantibodies to their own DNA. Did the alarm bells sound? Did the scientific community call a halt to the vaccination program? No. Instead, they stuck their fingers in the air, saying more research is needed to ascertain whether vaccines can cause genetic damage. Meanwhile, the study dogs were found good homes, but no long-term follow-up has been conducted. At around the same time, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Vaccine-Associated Feline Sarcoma Task Force initiated several studies to find out why 160,000 cats each year in the USA develop terminal cancer at their vaccine injection sites.(3) The fact that cats can get vaccine-induced cancer has been acknowledged by veterinary bodies around the world, and even the British Government acknowledged it through its Working Group charged with the task of looking into canine and feline vaccines(4) following pressure from Canine Health Concern. What do you imagine was the advice of the AVMA Task Force, veterinary bodies and governments? "Carry on vaccinating until we find out why vaccines are killing cats, and which cats are most likely to die."

In America, in an attempt to mitigate the problem, they're vaccinating cats in the tail or leg so they can amputate when cancer appears. Great advice if it's not your cat amongst the hundreds of thousands on the "oops" list.

But other species are okay - right? Wrong. In August 2003, the Journal of Veterinary Medicine carried an Italian study which showed that dogs also develop vaccine-induced cancers at their injection sites.(5) We already know that vaccine-site cancer is a possible sequel to human vaccines, too, since the Salk polio vaccine was said to carry a monkey retrovirus (from cultivating the vaccine on monkey organs) that produces inheritable cancer. The monkey retrovirus SV40 keeps turning up in human cancer sites.

It is also widely acknowledged that vaccines can cause a fast-acting, usually fatal, disease called autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA). Without treatment, and frequently with treatment, individuals can die in agony within a matter of days. Merck, itself a multinational vaccine manufacturer, states in The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy that autoimmune haemolytic anaemia may be caused by modified live-virus vaccines, as do Tizard's Veterinary Immunology (4th edition) and the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine.(6) The British Government's Working Group, despite being staffed by vaccine-industry consultants who say they are independent, also acknowledged this fact. However, no one warns the pet owners before their animals are subjected to an unnecessary booster, and very few owners are told why after their pets die of AIHA.

A Wide Range of Vaccine-induced Diseases

We also found some worrying correlations between vaccine events and the onset of arthritis in our 1997 survey. Our concerns were compounded by research in the human field.

The New England Journal of Medicine, for example, reported that it is possible to isolate the rubella virus from affected joints in children vaccinated against rubella. It also told of the isolation of viruses from the peripheral blood of women with prolonged arthritis following vaccination.(7)

Then, in 2000, CHC's findings were confirmed by research which showed that polyarthritis and other diseases like amyloidosis, which affects organs in dogs, were linked to the combined vaccine given to dogs.(8) There is a huge body of research, despite the paucity of funding from the vaccine industry, to confirm that vaccines can cause a wide range of brain and central nervous system damage. Merck itself states in its Manual that vaccines (i.e., its own products) can cause encephalitis: brain inflammation/damage. In some cases, encephalitis involves lesions in the brain and throughout the central nervous system. Merck states that "examples are the encephalitides following measles, chickenpox, rubella, smallpox vaccination, vaccinia, and many other less well defined viral infections".

When the dog owners who took part in the CHC survey reported that their dogs developed short attention spans, 73.1% of the dogs did so within three months of a vaccine event. The same percentage of dogs was diagnosed with epilepsy within three months of a shot (but usually within days). We also found that 72.5% of dogs that were considered by their owners to be nervous and of a worrying disposition, first exhibited these traits within the three-month post-vaccination period.

I would like to add for the sake of Oliver, my friend who suffered from paralysed rear legs and death shortly after a vaccine shot, that "paresis" is listed in Merck's Manual as a symptom of encephalitis. This is defined as muscular weakness of a neural (brain) origin which involves partial or incomplete paralysis, resulting from lesions at any level of the descending pathway from the brain. Hind limb paralysis is one of the potential consequences. Encephalitis, incidentally, is a disease that can manifest across the scale from mild to severe and can also cause sudden death.

Organ failure must also be suspected when it occurs shortly after a vaccine event. Dr Larry Glickman, who spearheaded the Purdue research into post-vaccination biochemical changes in dogs, wrote in a letter to Cavalier Spaniel breeder Bet Hargreaves:

"Our ongoing studies of dogs show that following routine vaccination, there is a significant rise in the level of antibodies dogs produce against their own tissues. Some of these antibodies have been shown to target the thyroid gland, connective tissue such as that found in the valves of the heart, red blood cells, DNA, etc. I do believe that the heart conditions in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels could be the end result of repeated immunisations by vaccines containing tissue culture contaminants that cause a progressive immune response directed at connective tissue in the heart valves. The clinical manifestations would be more pronounced in dogs that have a genetic predisposition [although] the findings should be generally applicable to all dogs regardless of their breed."

I must mention here that Dr Glickman believes that vaccines are a necessary evil, but that safer vaccines need to be developed.

Meanwhile, please join the queue to place your dog, cat, horse and child on the Russian roulette wheel because a scientist says you should.

Vaccines Stimulate an Inflammatory Response

The word "allergy" is synonymous with "sensitivity" and "inflammation". It should, by rights, also be synonymous with the word "vaccination". This is what vaccines do: they sensitise (render allergic)an individual in the process of forcing them to develop antibodies to fight a disease threat. In other words, as is acknowledged and accepted, as part of the vaccine process the body will respond with inflammation. This may be apparently temporary or it may be longstanding.

Holistic doctors and veterinarians have known this for at least 100 years. They talk about a wide range of inflammatory or "-itis" diseases which arise shortly after a vaccine event. Vaccines, in fact, plunge many individuals into an allergic state. Again, this is a disorder that ranges from mild all the way through to the suddenly fatal. Anaphylactic shock is the culmination: it's where an individual has a massive allergic reaction to a vaccine and will die within minutes if adrenaline or its equivalent is not administered.

There are some individuals who are genetically not well placed to withstand the vaccine challenge. These are the people (and animals are "people", too) who have inherited faulty B and T cell function. B and T cells are components within the immune system which identify foreign invaders and destroy them, and hold the invader in memory so that they cannot cause future harm. However, where inflammatory responses are concerned, the immune system overreacts and causes unwanted effects such as allergies and other inflammatory conditions.

Merck warns in its Manual that patients with, or from families with, B and/or T cell immunodeficiencies should not receive live-virus vaccines due to the risk of severe or fatal infection. Elsewhere, it lists features of B and T cell immunodeficiencies as food allergies, inhalant allergies, eczema, dermatitis, neurological deterioration and heart disease. To translate, people with these conditions can die if they receive live-virus vaccines. Their immune systems are simply not competent enough to guarantee a healthy reaction to the viral assault from modified live-virus vaccines.

Modified live-virus (MLV) vaccines replicate in the patient until an immune response is provoked. If a defence isn't stimulated, then the vaccine continues to replicate until it gives the patient the very disease it was intending to prevent.

Alternatively, a deranged immune response will lead to inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, pancreatitis, colitis, encephalitis and any number of autoimmune diseases such as cancer and leukaemia, where the body attacks its own cells.

A new theory, stumbled upon by Open University student Gary Smith, explains what holistic practitioners have been saying for a very long time. Here is what a few of the holistic vets have said in relation to their patients:

Dr Jean Dodds: "Many veterinarians trace the present problems with allergic and immunologic diseases to the introduction of MLV vaccines..." (9)

Christina Chambreau, DVM: "Routine vaccinations are probably the worst thing that we do for our animals. They cause all types of illnesses, but not directly to where we would relate them definitely to be caused by the vaccine." (10)

Martin Goldstein, DVM: "I think that vaccines...are leading killers of dogs and cats in America today."

Dr Charles E. Loops, DVM: "Homoeopathic veterinarians and other holistic practitioners have maintained for some time that vaccinations do more harm than they provide benefits." (12)

Mike Kohn, DVM: "In response to this [vaccine] violation, there have been increased autoimmune diseases (allergies being one component), epilepsy, neoplasia [tumours], as well as behavioural problems in small animals." (13)

A Theory on Inflammation

Gary Smith explains what observant healthcare practitioners have been saying for a very long time, but perhaps they've not understood why their observations led them to say it. His theory, incidentally, is causing a huge stir within the inner scientific sanctum. Some believe that his theory could lead to a cure for many diseases including cancer. For me, it explains why the vaccine process is inherently questionable.

Gary was learning about inflammation as part of his studies when he struck upon a theory so extraordinary that it could have implications for the treatment of almost every inflammatory disease -- including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, rheumatoid arthritis and even HIV and AIDS.

Gary's theory questions the received wisdom that when a person gets ill, the inflammation that occurs around the infected area helps it to heal. He claims that, in reality, inflammation prevents the body from recognising a foreign substance and therefore serves as a hiding place for invaders. The inflammation occurs when at-risk cells produce receptors called All (known as angiotensin II type I receptors). He says that while At1 has a balancing receptor, At2, which is supposed to switch off the inflammation, in most diseases this does not happen.

"Cancer has been described as the wound that never heals," he says. "All successful cancers are surrounded by inflammation. Commonly this is thought to be the body's reaction to try to fight the cancer, but this is not the case.

"The inflammation is not the body trying to fight the infection. It is actually the virus or bacteria deliberately causing inflammation in order to hide from the immune system [author's emphasis]." (14)

If Gary is right, then the inflammatory process so commonly stimulated by vaccines is not, as hitherto assumed, a necessarily acceptable sign. Instead, it could be a sign that the viral or bacterial component, or the adjuvant (which, containing foreign protein, is seen as an invader by the immune system), in the vaccine is winning by stealth.

If Gary is correct in believing that the inflammatory response is not protective but a sign that invasion is taking place under cover of darkness, vaccines are certainly not the friends we thought they were. They are undercover assassins working on behalf of the enemy, and vets and medical doctors are unwittingly acting as collaborators. Worse, we animal guardians and parents are actually paying doctors and vets to unwittingly betray our loved ones.

Potentially, vaccines are the stealth bomb of the medical world. They are used to catapult invaders inside the castle walls where they can wreak havoc, with none of us any the wiser. So rather than experiencing frank viral diseases such as the 'flu, measles, mumps and rubella (and, in the case of dogs, parvovirus and distemper), we are allowing the viruses to win anyway - but with cancer, leukaemia and other inflammatory or autoimmune (self-attacking) diseases taking their place.

The Final Insult

All 27 veterinary schools in North America have changed their protocols for vaccinating dogs and cats along the following lines; (15) however, vets in practice are reluctant to listen to these changed protocols and official veterinary bodies in the UK and other countries are ignoring the following facts.

Dogs' and cats' immune systems mature fully at six months. If modified live-virus vaccine is giver after six months of age, it produces immunity, which is good for the life of the pet. If another MLV vaccine is given a year later, the antibodies from the first vaccine neutralise the antigens of the second vaccine and there is little or no effect. The litre is no "boosted", nor are more memory cells induced.

Not only are annual boosters unnecessary, but they subject the pet to potential risks such as allergic reactions and immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia.

In plain language, veterinary schools in America, plus the American Veterinary Medical Association, have looked at studies to show how long vaccines last and they have concluded and announced that annual vaccination is unnecessary.(16-19)

Further, they have acknowledged that vaccines are not without harm. Dr Ron Schultz, head of pathobiology at Wisconsin University and a leading light in this field, has been saying this politely to his veterinary colleagues since the 1980s. I've been saying it for the past 12 years. But change is so long in coming and, in the meantime, hundreds of thousands of animals are dying every year - unnecessarily.

The good news is that thousands of animal lovers (but not enough) have heard what we've been saying. Canine Health Concern members around the world use real food as Nature's supreme disease preventative, eschewing processed pet food, and minimise the vaccine risk. Some of us, myself included, have chosen not to vaccinate our pets at all. Our reward is healthy and long-lived dogs.

It has taken but one paragraph to tell you the good and simple news. The gratitude I feel each day, when I embrace my healthy dogs, stretches from the centre of the Earth to the Universe and beyond.

About the Author:

Catherine O'Driscoll runs Canine Health Concern which campaigns and also delivers an educational program, the Foundation in Canine Healthcare. She is author of Shock to the System (2005; see review this issue), the best-selling book What Vets Don't Tell You About Vaccines (1997, 1998), and Who Killed the Darling Buds of May? (1997; reviewed in NEXUS 4/04). She lives in Scotland with her partner, Rob Ellis, and three Golden Retrievers, named Edward, Daniel and Gwinnie, and she lectures on canine health around the world.

For more information, contact Catherine O'Driscoll at Canine Health Concern, PO Box 7533, Perth PH2 1AD, Scotland, UK, email catherine@carsegray.co.uk, website http://www.canine-health-concern.org.uk. Shock to the System is available in the UK from CHC, and worldwide from Dogwise at http://www.dogwise.com.

Endnotes

1. "Effects of Vaccination on the Endocrine and Immune Systems of Dogs, Phase II", Purdue University, November 1,1999, at http://www.homestead.com/vonhapsburg/haywardstudyonvaccines.html.

2. See www.vet.purdue.edu/epi/gdhstudy.htm.

3. See http://www.avma.org/vafstf/default.asp.

4. Veterinary Products Committee (VPC) Working Group on Feline and Canine Vaccination, DEFRA, May 2001.

5. JVM Series A 50(6):286-291, August 2003.

6. Duval, D. and Giger,U. (1996). "Vaccine-Associated Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia in the Dog", Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 10:290-295.

7. New England Journal of Medicine, vol.313,1985. See also Clin Exp Rheumatol 20(6):767-71, Nov-Dec 2002.

8. Am Coll Vet Intern Med 14:381,2000.

9. Dodds, Jean W.,DVM, "Immune System and Disease Resistance", at http://www.critterchat.net/immune.htm.

10. Wolf Clan magazine, April/May 1995.

11. Goldstein, Martin, The Nature of Animal Healing, Borzoi/Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1999.

12. Wolf Clan magazine, op. cit.

13. ibid.

14. Journal of Inflammation 1:3,2004, at http://www.journal-inflammation.com content/1/1/3.

15. Klingborg, D.J., Hustead, D.R. and Curry-Galvin, E. et al., "AVMA Council on Biologic and Therapeutic Agents' report on cat and dog vaccines", Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 221(10):1401-1407, November 15,2002, http://www.avma.org/policies/vaccination.htm.

16. ibid.

17. Schultz, R.D., "Current and future canine and feline vaccination programs", Vet Med 93:233-254,1998.

18. Schultz, R.D., Ford, R.B., Olsen, J. and Scott, P., "Titer testing and vaccination: a new look at traditional practices", Vet Med 97:1-13, 2002 (insert).

19. Twark, L. and Dodds, W.J., "Clinical application of serum parvovirus and distemper virus antibody liters for determining revaccination strategies in healthy dogs", J Am Vet Med Assoc 217:1021-1024,2000.

Boundary Training without Shock

2009-12-03T11:15:00.000-08:00

Boundary Training

Steve Benjamin, KPACTP, KPA Faculty

Would you like to train your dog to stay in your yard without resorting to electrical shock? There is a way to do it that is inexpensive, takes about the same amount of time, and is just as reliable as the electronic containment systems commercially available.

http://www.clickingwithcanines.com/id56.html

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/2409

2009-12-03T10:15:00.000-08:00

"To me, as a behavioral biologist, the most useful and wonderful aspect of reinforcement training is the window that the training opens into the animal's mind." - Karen Pryor

Developmental Stages in Puppies

2009-12-03T09:50:00.000-08:00

Developmental Stages in Puppies

"Puppies provided with poor socialization or deprived of environmental exposure often develop lifelong deficits and dysfunctional behaviors. A puppy isolated early in life from other puppies and humans will not only fail to establish satisfying social contact with conspecifics or enjoy companionship with people later in life (such puppies are extremely fearful of any social contact), they will also exhibit widespread behavioral and cognitive disabilities as well. Isolated puppies exhibit poor learning and problem-solving abilities and are extremely hyperactive or rigidly inhibited, are emotionally over-reactive and unable to encounter novel social or environmental situations without extreme fear and avoidance, and are socially and sexually incapacitated." - Handbook of Applied Behavior and Training, Steven R. Lindsay

2009-11-28T15:56:00.001-08:00

It takes a strong-minded human to appreciate a strong-minded dog. -- Mary Webber

Verbal Marker?

2009-11-27T17:24:00.000-08:00

Here is great blog on TAG - clicker training people.

http://tagteach.blogspot.com/search/label/verbal%20marker

Here is more information about TAGing.

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/2383

Using a Perch to Teach Heeling Position

2009-11-26T08:01:00.000-08:00

2009-11-19T06:59:00.000-08:00

"No matter how celebrated the trainer is, there are always things that don't fit with our own personalities, our dogs, and our clients." -- Mia Dunn

2009-11-14T20:02:00.000-08:00

Persistence is a canine characteristic. -- Phyllis Dorrough

Tag Teaching

2009-11-12T08:52:00.000-08:00

Here is a collection of videos that show TAG or clicker training people.

http://www.youtube.com/user/tagteacher

Tagging (Teaching with Acoustical Guidance) is clicking for people.
The website says TAGteach is a new way of teaching using positive
reinforcement with a click sound marker to identify successful
performance. We all know there is nothing new about using a clicker.

http://www.tagteach.com/

A tag point is what you are clicking the the person for. I click my
seven year old for various things, but unlike Red and Blue - my dogs -, I tell her what I am
clicking her for - and I don't give her a treat. She works to make me click her. We started out with me passing out M&M but it interrupted the flow. Then I went to me dropping an M&M in to a cup to give to her later and she was not interested in having them. She just wanted to keep
working.

So teacher give their student a string of beads and the student moves a bead from one end of the string to the other.

In my dog training classes I'll give the student a tag point like
Still hands or Treat for position after explaining what I'd like the
person to work on and say their name as the click (since I have four
students at a time in class and all will have different tag points.)

Adult clicker trainers tend to resist being clicked (treated like a
dog) which is why I use a verbal, and use praise instead of a cookie
or a ball toss. ;-)

Look at these videos. WARNING they are using clickers for people. It
drives my dogs crazy. YMMV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q4xQ83FI2s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ99KWRE3Ck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx56E7dNyWQ&feature=related

I also have been using it (with a clicker) with my seven year old's basketball
team. I worked one on one with each kid and a parent teaching the
parent to tag their kid to improve their drilling skills and footwork. The girls
have gotten very good. If the season was longer and we did not have so
much to cover, I'd get the kids tagging each other.

Also read this article about TAGing teenage dog trainers.

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/2341

Stressed Brains Rely on Habit

2009-11-11T15:52:00.000-08:00

http://www.the-scientist.com/blog/display/55873/

2009-11-03T08:28:00.000-08:00

Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination. - Fitzhugh Dodson

TTouch Method

2009-09-26T11:44:00.000-07:00

This is from the TTouch website ~~ TTouch - the Tellington TTouch - is a method based on circular movements of the fingers and hands all over the body. The intent of the TTouch is to activate the function of the cells and awaken cellular intelligence - a little like "turning on the electric lights of the body."

Targeting for Shy Dogs

2009-09-26T10:12:00.000-07:00

Hand Targeting for Shy Dogs - The best bloopers are a click away

Targeting Exercise For Fearful Dogs - Amazing videos are here

On Failure in the Ring

2009-09-23T10:34:00.000-07:00

I think I know *why* a lot of people lose badly.

Firstly because they build in errors by working on past mistakes in training, and by paying attention to mistakes.

Secondly because they don't start with enthusiasm.

Thirdly because a show is a very different environment to where a lot of people train, and where owners act weird.

And, fourthly because they practice whole exercises.

The first one is easily fixed. If your dog looks away when teaching
heelwork, stop.

Do small amounts of heelwork perfectly, not large amounts with faults in the middle.

If your dog doesn't do a perfect front, don't give the cue to heel. Chains are reinforced by giving the cue to continue the chain. Don't reinforce mistakes by cueing the next part.

Never, ever pay attention to mistakes either. This means don't reinforce a mistake by trying to get your dogs attention. The classic one most dogs learn is that if they look away or wander off while heeling their dad gets liver out. Over time I have watched people train their dogs to heights of innattention with this method, and I have done it too.

Secondly train with play. Throw food so your dog has to run and get it, play with toys, play with your dog without toys, surprise your dog, use FANTASTIC treats, use rubbish treats, use bizarre treats, but get them off your body as soon as possible!

Thirdly train in weird places, train all over, train in new places and allow your dog to explore them after he works. Of course if he doesn't work, he doesn't get to go explore.

Train where you feel embarrassed. I find any where public embarrassing, but places with bigger audiences worse, like lawns outside schools, high streets, public parks.

And, fourthly don't practice whole chains. Split 'em up. A typical practice session for me would include my dog sitting at heel while I throw toys and food out, heelwork through all those distractions, sending my dog to collect a distraction, calling it back to present, sending it for a toy, calling it back through my legs, taking the toy (no present) getting a finish then leaving in a stay, walking away and turning suddenly waving my arms in the air etc, then releasing the dog to go fetch another toy, and so on.

- --
Jane Curthoys
www.devonunleashed.co.uk

Spoon Heeling

2009-09-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

Gotcha

2009-09-22T09:25:00.000-07:00

Foundations For Life Training

Suzanne Clothier on Calming the Fearful Dog

Teach Your Dog to Wait at the Gate

Teach Your Dog to Not Run Away

Teaching a Retrieve

How to make your own training platform Michele Pouliot style!

What is up with Reinforcement?

Police Dogs Can Tell Identical Twins Apart By Scent

Interesting Study on Early Separation From Litter

Who says you can not train a cat?

Recall Tips

Calming Signals

Teaching Children To Read Dogs

Tale Of Two Tongues

What not to let your dog do.

Fla. justices throw out evidence found by drug dog

Treibball Foundations

Using a Cue as a Reward

Does Your Dog really Understand A Verbal Cue?

Deferent behavior Dr. Karen Overall DACVB

Why doesn't the dominance model work?

Clicker Training For Tricks - Mary Ray

Training Cartoon

The Sit Challenge

Impluse Control

Another great heeling video

It is all tricks

Basics of Treibball

Barrel Racing

Mat as a Target

Training a target follow

What is Clicker Training?

Leslie McDevitt Demos CU games

Treibball

Training 'Take' and 'Give' Objects for a Formal Service Dog Retrieve

"Brick Work"

Mind Games for Dogs: Shell Scent Game

Perch Revsitied

Jean Donaldson gets conditioned emotional response while fitting Gentle Leader

SHAPING POLITE WALKING with a HIGH RATE OF REINFORCEMENT

Mind Games for Dogs: Shell Scent Game

Treibball

Anubis shows his skills

“Owners expect vets to know about behavior, but most vet schools don’t even teach it.” ~ Dr. Nicholas Dodman

More rear end awareness

What's a FIGHT? How bad is 'Bad'? Ranking conflicts

Get Those Puppies OUT

Barking

Puppy Raising

Stays

Handling Shy Dogs

Default Leave it

Pivot - another take on shaping it

Go to Mat

Dog trained to sniff out prostate cancer

Insect detection dogs

Shaping a Pivot

What is a reactive dog?

Youth Only Schutzhund Camp

Pet Poison Hotline 800-213-6680

Lab Puppy Raising Videos

More TAG Videos

Keeping a Crate Bound Dog Busy

Hot Dog Retrieve

Using a Clicker to Train a Retrieve

Dog Bites

Zeva Skates

TAGing Children

Clicker Reaction Game

Millie's Crockpot Chicken for dogs

Laura's Dogs

Science of Vaccine Damage

A Wide Range of Vaccine-induced Diseases

Vaccines Stimulate an Inflammatory Response

A Theory on Inflammation

The Final Insult

About the Author:

Endnotes

Boundary Training without Shock

Developmental Stages in Puppies